KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia and China reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral trade and industrial cooperation during a high-level meeting between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, held on the sidelines of the 47th Asean Summit.
The closed-door session, which lasted 15 minutes, touched on regional security concerns, including China’s support for peace efforts in Myanmar and along the Cambodia-Thailand border.
However, the spotlight remained on economic collaboration, particularly in high-tech manufacturing and automotive development.
Among the key initiatives discussed was the Automotive High-Tech Valley (AHTV) in Tanjung Malim, a flagship project aimed at positioning Malaysia as a regional hub for next-generation vehicle production.
The leaders also explored joint ventures in rare earth elements, digital infrastructure, and the halal industry, alongside enhancements to the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and the Perak-Penang water pipeline.
Malaysia, as Asean Chair, welcomed China’s participation in the Asean Power Grid initiative, which aims to strengthen cross-border energy connectivity.
Anwar also extended an invitation to Chinese tech firms to expand their footprint in Malaysia, noting the country’s ambition to become Asean’s leading innovation hub.
“Many times your visit to Malaysia and my visit to China, and I appreciate your participation; it means a lot for Malaysia and Asean. I think we will focus on the bilateral issue today,” Anwar said in his opening remarks.
“And thank you for the invitation, President Xi Jinping, for the 80th anniversary of China, and I hope to meet up with him in South Korea in the next few days,” he added.
The meeting coincided with the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA 3.0) upgrade signing and the 28th ASEAN-China Summit, which drew over 3,000 delegates from more than 30 countries.
In a symbolic gesture of industrial partnership, Premier Li and Prime Minister Anwar jointly unveiled two of Proton’s upcoming models—the all-new Saga and the Proton e.MAS 5—at a showcase held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
“Today’s public showcase of two of Proton’s upcoming models reflects the success of the partnership between DRB-Hicom Berhad and Geely Holding Group in driving Proton’s transformation to become a modern and competitive automotive company.
“Through this partnership, Proton continues to combine Malaysian engineering capabilities with Geely’s technological expertise to advance the country’s automotive ecosystem, supporting the development of new skills, local innovation, and sustainable growth,” Proton said in a statement.
The Proton-Geely partnership began in 2017, when China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group acquired a 49.9% stake in Proton, marking a pivotal shift in the Malaysian automaker’s trajectory towards global competitiveness and technological modernisation.
The e.MAS 5, developed with Geely’s design and electric vehicle technology, is slated to be Malaysia’s first affordable EV, priced between RM60,000 and RM80,000.
The new Saga, meanwhile, is the first Proton model fully designed and engineered by Malaysian talent, built on the brand’s Advanced Modular Architecture platform.
The presence of both leaders at the showcase underscored the strategic importance of the automotive sector in Malaysia’s national transformation agenda and China’s continued role in regional industrial development. – October 28, 2025